Trail's End - Fort Wilderness Campground

Trail's End - Fort Wilderness Campgound

Did you know there are campgrounds at Disney World? Ft. Wilderness Campground holds some of the best hidden gems on property and you can camp there for as little as $53 a night. This week, we are stopping at Trail's End in the Settlement area, near the boat dock to Magic Kingdom. There are a couple ways to get to this restaurant, but our favorite is to park at TTC and take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary then ride the resort ferry to Ft. Wilderness. You can also park at the campgrounds, but you still have to take a bus to the settlement area, as it is too far to walk.

Trail's End is an all you care to eat buffet, with down home flair. We ate at this location for supper and loved all the options. Ribs, fried chicken, roasted meats, chili, peel-n-eat shrimp, veggies, salads, cobbler, bread pudding, s'mores dessert... I could go on. The great thing about eating at a resort (for the most part) is that picky eaters are usually planned for in the table service category. For example, pizza, mac and cheese and lots of fruit are offered at this buffet, as well as many kid-friendly desserts with lots of sprinkles.

The atmosphere has the perfect rustic, outpost feel with wood beams and old west Americana. We loved feeling like we were making a stop on the trail after a long hike! After a full day in the parks, sometimes it feels like we've been hiking, so this hearty food and the sweet tea were a great end to our day! Speaking of sweet tea, Trail's End is the second restaurant on property we have been to that has it! Check out the other restaurant here.

Some of our favorite items at this buffet included the pork chops, ribs, the salad options, bread pudding, s'mores dessert, and the grasshopper (don't be afraid). The pork chops were tender and so tasty! I'm not sure what it was seasoned with but I'm pretty sure some Disney magic was mixed in. The ribs were awesome (and we are picky about our barbecued meats as Joe is a bbq master). They weren't over sauced, as many places tend to do and were smoked to the perfect tenderness.

I really enjoyed the salad options. There are times when Disney skimps on the salad at their buffets, but this was not one of them. One of my favorites were the marinated mushrooms. Sadly, the potato salad was heavy on the celery seed, which I'm not fond of. However, with all the salad options, I could have almost spent the whole meal here. The only reason I didn't was that I had to save room for dessert!

Thankfully the buffet is set up in a way that is impossible to forget dessert, as it is front and center tempting you every time you grab a new plate. If you have little ones, it might be a good idea to get their plate for them, as this sprinkle haven is front and center with all things that are sweet. The grasshopper dessert bar was minty and chocolaty and covered with shiny sprinkles! Little stole most of mine both times I got it. The only consolation was that I could enjoy the s'mores dessert while he was distracted by the shiny sprinkles!

Being a buffet, there is no charge for standard drinks, which means changing to coffee for dessert is no extra. Our server was also kind enough to offer to-go cups, which was great for the night time boat ride back to our car. If you haven't had a chance to check this location out; we would highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for a place with lots of options for picky eaters. If you have allergy issues, this is the place, as the Chef at this location is known for his amazing creations for guests with allergies and special diets. Chef TJ is awesome and we've seen how he has made many families' vacation. Really, this is the location for people with special diets.

We love this location and enjoy its secluded feel. The food is tasty and has a great variety for picky eaters. Can't wait to bring more family and friends to this location.

Trail's End is located at Ft. Wilderness near the Settlement area (near the boat dock to Magic Kingdom).

Date Visited: 3/8/17

Trail's End is a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary.

Trail's End is an all you care to eat Buffet with a down home flair.

On our Plate...

Everything! See a few of the plates below.

Location Price Range: $15-35

Tips and Overall Review

This is the restaurant for families with allergies or special diets! Chef TJ makes amazing creations, so make sure to note your restrictions when making your reservation.

Trail's End is a short boat ride from the Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary. We choose to park at TTC and enjoy the ride. There is also parking at Ft. Wilderness Campground, but it is still a bus ride away as it is too far to walk. Either way, plan that the trip may take a little extra time. We suggest leaving an hour early just incase of any transportation snags. If all else fails, you can check in 30 minutes early.

We enjoy this buffet for it's kid friendliness and great eats. The smoked ribs remind us of some of the best ribs we've had at a backyard BBQ and the desserts are a meal in themselves.

Speaking of desserts, we find it is probably best to fix littles' plates for them, as there are many tempting sweets front and center that may distract from the "real food."